Virus
by Airstrike
Summary: Another Oneshot! This time involving Syndrome! R&R and enjoy! God I suck at this whole summary thing...
1. Virus

_S_am : Hello again!

_S_yndrome : G'day!

_S_am : Syndrome here is one of the ONLY guys here that's let me put some of his memory on the net for you to read!

_S_yndrome : Well what harm will it do? Roll the Disclaimer

_S_am : Ok Ok... Don't tell me what to do. Remember whos the Commander

_S_yndrome : Whatever...

_A_irstrike : What's going on?

_S_yndrome : Nothing Striker!

_A_irstrike : Doesn't look like nothin... and stop calling me Striker!

_S_am : Shouldn't you be watching Diode?

_A_irstrike : ...maybe...

_S_yndrome : Oh rack off Striker we're busy!

_A_irstirke : Oh whatever I'll be in the rec room... -leaves-

_S_am : Airhead...

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not own Transformers... But I own Syndrome! He is mine! XD

* * *

Subject Name : Syndrome 

-Commence Memory Transmission-

* * *

Syndrome

The Shapeshifting Saboteur

-!THUMP!-

Sam looked at her watch "Hmm... He's a few hours early..." she said.

Skartplug sighed "I'll get him to medbay..." he stood up and left. Him and Sam had been having a meeting about the lack of supplies they had. They both had guessed that Firestorm had collapsed from exhaustion again, but as Skartplug arrived at his room, he could hear music sounding from his room, and Firestorm humming to it... He stopped in his tracks. If it wasn't Firestorm who made that thump... then who-

"SKARTPLUG!" Skartplug spun around to be met by a worried Airstrike. The dark jet ran up to him panicking "Something's wrong with Flash" he said quickly grabbing his arm. Skartplug was pulled away from Firestorm's musical room towards the recroom. Flash was lying on his side shaking. His body tensed then relaxed every so often as his vents took in air loudly.

Skartplug ran over to him and knelt beside him "Flash? Flash what's wrong?" he said. He was worried for the youngling, he had only just released him from medbay after they had rescued him from the Decepticons and already something was wrong.

Flash looked up at the medic. His sky blue eyes were hinting a slight shade of white and his body was warm "I...I don't f-feel too good..." said the small bot crying. Skartplug picked him up.

"I'm gonna take you medbay. Then I'll find out what's wrong ok?" Flash nodded, offlining in his arms. Skartplug looked up "Find Sam and tell her what's happened. I'll meet you both in medbay". Airstrike ran off and Skartplug went to his room, well it was sort of his room since he was the usual one in there...

"What's going on Skarts?" asked Sam the moment she entered the room. Flash lay on one of the four recharge berths. He had stopped shaking, but his armour was still warm.  
"I don't know... I ran every virus checker, every programme I know and nothing!" replied Skartplug. He hated not being able to help someone...  
"There has to be something!" jumped in Airstrike. He'd become quite attached to Flash over the past few days, as had everyone else on the ship.

Sam lost herself in thought. She needed to find an answer... They were all lost in their own trains of thought. They didn't even hear the door hiss open until the bot in the doorway spoke "Could I be of some assistance?" They all jumped round. A grey mech stood in the doorway, his haze purple optics glazed over with worry.

Sam looked confused "Who the heck are you"

"His names Syndrome. We found him on a nearby planet wandering around confused. He's a programme expert" suddenly said Cannonball appearing behind him.

Syndrome nodded "G'day" he said smirking.

Skartplug wasted no time with pleasantries "Well if you're a programme expert get your aft over here and help! We got a very sick youngling!" he said. Syndrome came over and checked his symptoms.

"Hmm..."

"Good hmmm or bad hmmm?" asked Sam. Skartplug lifted her up and sat her on his shoulder so she could see "Neither. I can see what's wrong, but how someone so young got it I don't know"

"What is it? Lemmie know what you need and I'll get it" Everyone was worried.

Skartplug decided it was getting too crowded "Let the guy have some room! Everyone out! Including you commander" he looked at Sam. She was about to protest but gave up, deciding she didn't want to be in the room anyway.

"You might wanna stand back..."

"Skartplug" Skarts finished his sentence.

"Pleasure. You might wanna stand back this could get ugly"

Syndrome twisted a circuit in his arm and some wires emitted from his thumb "Right what I'm gonna do is inject an anti core programming device that should eliminate the problem" "But what's wrong with him? Why didn't my systems pick up the problem? And won't that mean you'll be accessing his memory circuits?" Syndrome sighed

"It's a dampened Virus it can't be picked up by normal scans. My systems are more advanced since that's what I was built to do and yes it will. It means I can find out when and where he got this bug" Skartplug still wasn't sure until Flash started whimpering. He was still offline but the virus was still spreading. Syndrome looked at Skartplug

"So do I have permission to do this or what?"

Skartplug nodded. "Do what you have to. Maybe then you'll be able to tell us who this kids parents are. We still don't know and he doesn't know either"  
Syndrome nodded. He placed one of the three wires into Flash's neck and the other two on either side of his spark. He braced himself. This was going to be painful "You might wanna be ready to catch me" he smiled. Skartplug was confused but he nodded anyway.

"And... Run"

Syndrome's body tensed. His eyes glazed from purple to blue, then back to purple. Flash's offline body jerked as Syndrome inserted the programme, then they both stopped lifeless. The three wires automatically retreated into the grey mechs' thumb again and he fell backwards. He wasn't offline, just in a temporary state of shock. Skartplug caught him and sat him down in a nearby chair. Syndrome kept his eyes on Flash as he began to speak, his bottom lip quivering and his hands trembling

"That poor kid..."

"What? What did you see? Did you see his parents?" Syndrome shook his head. Flash's intakes started to breathe normally again. Syndrome swallowed a lump in his throat. Skartplug checked on Flash's life signs. Everything was returning to normal. He turned and looked back at Syndrome and repeated is question. "What did you see?"

"That kid... he ain't got a family..."

"They were killed?"

"No..." Replied Syndrome immediately. He looked back at Skartplug  
"He ain't got a family because he wasn't born... Megatron... Created him...he..."

Skartplug gasped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing!

"What? How? He…" he didn't know what to say. For the first time in his life he was speechless

"That's just... Wrong! How dare he try and play Primus! Creating a being! Telling him a certain member of his fleet is his brother then just… Argh!" Syndrome clutched his head. Flash's memories of his childhood were still there. Normally he would erase them but he couldn't. Something was stopping him from erasing the data he had just absorbed from the child's mind. Skartplug was still standing shocked. Flash whimpered and shook for a few seconds as he woke from his slumber.

"Skartplug? My head hurts..."

Clutching his head, he looked around, tears about to stream down his face. Skartplug reacted quickly "It's ok Flash... come on" he comforted him but the young mech started to cry "His heads gonna hurt for a little while... its the after effect of the programme..." suddenly spoke up Syndrome. Flash noticed him and jumped

"Wh- who are you?"

Skartplug knew this would happen. It always happened when someone new joined. Skartplug sat on Flash's berth and he came over to him "This is Syndrome. He just cured your little illness," he said calmly. He still couldn't believe that Flash wasn't born… but he wasn't going to show it. Secrets were always kept secrets in his optics.

"T-thank you..." stuttered Flash. He smiled weakly and Syndrome stood up.

"No problem! It's ma job." Replied Syndrome smiling. He wobbled, still a little dazed from the transfer

"Perhaps you should sit down for a while longer..." suggested Skartplug but he was interrupted by Syndrome.

"Na its alright I'm fine. I should get back to work..." he quickly walked out of the room. Flash looked at Skartplug and Skartplug did the same. He stood up "Get some rest Flash I'll be back in a minute," he said following Syndrome.

Syndrome walked the halls of Freelancer HQ. He had no idea where he was going but others didn't need to know that. The whole experience with little Flash had startled him. He needed to leave medbay and quickly. As he wandered down the hallway he noticed a storage room. It was empty. As he entered the room he realised he was being followed... his quick walking turned into a dash as he disappeared into the room.

"Syndrome wait!" Skartplug entered the storage room. It was dark. He could hear Syndrome's vents taking in air hoarsely but he couldn't see him. Even when he switched the light on the room looked completely empty

"Syndrome?"

A cough... a small cough sounded from the corner of the room. He looked over at the sound of the noise but still couldn't see anything. As he walked over to the corner the sound of heavy breathing got louder. He touched the wall of the corner, accidentally kicking something. But there was nothing at his feet... "Argh!" Syndrome suddenly came into view

"Watch where you're walking will ya!"

"What the- How did you do that?" stuttered Skartplug. Syndrome had just suddenly... appeared. Only a certain few he knew could do that! "I ain't a programming expert for nothing you know" Syndrome coughed again. He breathed slowly, as if he had been running for a while. Skartplug studied his movements. He was acting differently to how he had just been. He looked different too... Instead of being grey like he was in the medbay, Syndrome armour appeared to be a pale shade of red. Syndrome noticed this quickly "Ah frag flipping things on the fritz again" he muttered as he opened a compartment in his arm and pressed some buttons.

The mech's body turned back to grey "You can change your colour AND turn invisible? Anything else u wanna tell me before I find out the hard way?"

Skartplug replied. He sat down next to Syndrome who was sitting, his back against the wall "Where should I start?" laughed Syndrome. His laugher turned into a spluttering cough. Skartplug was worried.

"What's up you ok?"

"I'm fine..."

"If I said you were fine I'd be lying. Come on what's wrong"

"It's just a lil bug that's all"

"If it was a bug then you'd have gotten rid of it by now"

"Its-" but he was cut off by another cough. Skartplug knelt down next to him

"Let me take a look"

"No its fine!" Syndrome recoiled his arms in an attempt to hide them

"Why won't you let me look at you?"

"Coz I don't wanna be disassembled again!" Syndrome stopped, realising what he had just said. Why... Why had that slipped out? He looked away and shifted his body a few inches away from Skartplug.

"I won't take you apart..."

Syndrome looked up. He was trying desperately not to cry. He was obviously younger than Skartplug, but not as young as Flash. The look of pure innocence in his eyes reminded Skartplug of Flash when he first woke up in his medbay. He had been so frightened of everyone he screamed and hid under one of the berths. Syndrome quickly looked back down again and sighed, breaking his eye contact with the medic.

"Every time I've gone for medical attention it's happened. They all wanna know the same things. How I change my shape and colour, how I can hit stealth so fast and avoid radars... stuff like that..."

"If I promise you I won't take you apart, will you let me look at what's wrong?"

Syndrome chuckled, looking up at the medbot.

"A promise won't do anything if I'm in a million pieces"

"If they take you apart... how did you put yourself back together again?" Syndrome looked away again. It was obviously a subject he didn't want to talk about at this precise time. Skartplug sighed and Syndrome breathed heavily "Alright look. You saved the life of one of the most loved Freelancers on this ship today. The least I can do it return the favour. Just let me have a look ok? Please?"

Syndrome had a think. He didn't want to make the wrong decision. He coughed again; this was getting ridiculous. He hadn't been well for a while now, but this was the first time anyone had actually noticed. Well he was a medic and he sure didn't act like the other 'medics' he had had the unfortunate pleasure to see... "Alright" he nodded. Skartplug helped him up as he guided him back to the medbay. He smiled, silently welcoming the programmer into the team. Syndrome looked up and nodded, it felt great to finally be part of a group that cared.

* * *

_S_am : There! That wasn't too hard was it! 

_S_yndrome : Nope!

_A_irstrike : -runs past- SKARTPLUGS ON THE LOOSE!

_S_kartplug : GET YOUR SORRY AFTERBURNERS BACK HERE YOU FRAGGING SON OF A GLITCH!

_S_yndrome : Uh oh...

_S_am : ... Erm yeah. Please Reveiw this... please? Pretty Please?

- _Airstrike.The.Careful.Risk.Taker -_

_Oh.. and I would like to say thank you again ToaVeka for spell checking and sorting this out for me! It's tricky at the moment not having Word! Thankies! _


	2. Reunited

_S_yndrome - Afternoon!

_S_am - Yo!

_D_iode & Diablos - BRRAP!

_S_am - Heh don't mind them... Well I stumbled upon this whilst doing my work and thought you might wanna have a looky! xD I don't think I need a disclaimer! Theres one on the thingy before! o.o I think...

_S_yndrome - Probably... Roll it!

* * *

_Reunited_

Skartplug yawned, another day in the medbay starting. He looked around and realised he had fallen asleep in his office again. The datapad infront of him lay blank. He sighed, a pile of incomplete pads laying next to it.

'I'll do them later...'

Looking round at his closed door, he listened to the quiet murmers outside. He smiled, knowing exactly who it was. Sliding his door ajar, he looked to see a dark blue and black mech sitting beside his paitent.

'I bet he's been here all night...'

"You had me scared Flash..."

The red youngling sat up, his small wings fluttering to his sides "w-what do you mean Napalm?"

Napalm sighed and smiled, leaning against the berth "I thought you were seriously ill... It made me feel so bad for not being there at the time"

"You were busy..."

"Yeah yeah I know. Just don't scare me like that again alright?"

Flash stared at the berth infront of him "I-I'm sorry Napalm..."

Napalm chuckled, Flash giggling in reply and hugging the older. Skartplug watched, a small smile sitting on his face as the warhardened excecutioner responded to the affection, gently stroking his helm. He didn't want to, but he'd have to split them up seeing was Flash wasn't well enough to return yet. Trying his best to keep a straight face, Skartplug walked out of his office, a slight pang of guilt hitting him as the two seperated.

"Haven't you got monitor duty Napalm?" Flash looked at the medic sadly. He didn't want his guardian to leave...

"True. Alright. I'll be back later Flash" Napalm stroaked the childs cheek, wiping away a tear that had ran down his face. He then glanced back up at Skartplug, an angry glare pitched "If anythings wrong you call me. And if you don't look after him... I swear it'll be the last thing you do medbot. Got it?"

Skartplug nodded. Same old threat. Nothing new. Napalm took one last look at Flash, who smiled sweetly back, before turning and leaving the medbay. A small noise emitted from the corner of the room, followed by a crash as a cabinet full of medical supplies fell to the ground. Flash screamed, grabbing onto Skartplug for dear life. Skartplug jumped, but mostly from the crash. Flash's reaction wasn't anything new.

"You can pick all that up later"

"O-ow..." something moved within the pile of tools. Flash looked on, but couldn't see anyone... He gasped, jumping to the only conclusion he could.

"GHOST!" He screamed, latching onto Skartplug further. Skartplug sighed, bending down so Flash could hug him round the neck "It's not a ghost Flash..." he looked up at the mess "Show yourself Syndrome you're scaring him"

The invisible bot revealed himself. Flash relaxed a little, seeing a dark grey mech smiling at him. His green optics blinked as he wandered over, a slight limp catching Skartplugs attention.

"S-Syndrome are you alight?"

"Yeah I'm fine"

Skartplug scowled "Jump on a berth. I wanna take a look at that leg"

"N-no it's al-"

"SIT" Syndrome sighed, then complied, jumping on the nearest berth. Flash giggled, the newer member being bossed around by Skartplug. Skartplug wandered over to him, waiting until he lay down before opening the panel on his leg. Syndrome tensed and recoiled his leg from Skartplugs grip.

"Whats up?"

"N-Nothing..." he slowly moved his leg back down and into Skartplugs veiw "I'm just not used to the whole medic thing yet..."

Flash tilted his head "Medic thing?"

Skartplug turned to him and smiled "Nothing for you to worry about Flash. Speaking of which, why don't you go catch Napalm up for a little while? You'll have to come back later for a checkup though"

"Yeah!" Flash literally jumped off the berth, running to the door. Skartplug smiled "Just be back later alright?" but Flash had already disappeared down the hall "Thanks Skartplug! Bye Syndrome!"

Syndrome chuckled "Good kid"

"Yep. Now keep still whilst I check this"

"S-sorry bout earlier man... I guess I'm just used to sneaking out of places..."

"Huh..."

Syndrome looked at the medbot "What?"

"Nothing... I swear you're optics were purple yesterday though..."

"Where they? Huh must've finally changed back. What colour are they now?"

Skartplug looked at his paitent "Green"

Syndrome smiled "Brill. They finally stopped fritzing on me"

Skartplug tapped a wire, receiving a painful cry from its owner. His optics widened in shock "Drome these cables have been burnt! How the heck did that happen?!"

Syndrome shrugged "Must've been from the last time I escaped after a while..."

"And how long ago was that?"

"Couple of months in human times..."

Skartplug stood up "Months?! You've been walking around with an injury like this for months?!"

"Hey! Storm patched it up..."

Skartplug sat back down, regaining his medic-like posture. "Whos Storm?"

Syndrome sighed happily "My best friend. Well, least he was until he disappeared... He was a nice guy... didn't know much first aid, but then again he was a defence guy"

Skartplug blinked, looking up at Syndrome. It sounded like someone he knew... "Was Storm his real name?"

Syndrome tilted his head, looking back at him "No... why?"

"Sounds like a mech I know... What was his real name? If it's alright me asking..."

Syndrome blinked "Firestorm"

Skartplug nearly fell out of his chair in shock, taking a wire with him. Syndrome yelped, recoiling his leg "Crikey Skarts!"

"Sorry... You just startled me... Erm... I'll be right back I need to make a call..." Skartplug stood up and almost ran to his office, bringing up the screen.

"N-Napalm?" Flash wandered the corridors slowly. He'd gotten himself lost again. Every hallway looked the same, until he spied a certian blue mech ahead. The youngling felt his doorwings flutter upwards and a smile cross his face as he ran towards him.

"Napalm!"

Napalm looked round, a wide smile crossing his own faciel features as he bent down to greet his youngling

"Flash!"

Flash cried as he gripped Napalm in a tight hug. Napalm lifted the child off the ground and spun him round, hugging him as tightly as he could without hurting him "I missed you so much..."

Napalm chuckled "I was only gone a few breems"

"Too long..." Flash sniffed as Napalm put him down on the ground. He gripped his guardians hand as he led him down the hall "Come on. Lets get some Energon in that tank of yours..."

"B-but what about your monitor duty?"

"It can wait. This is much more important."

"Come on Storm answer!" Skartplug rung Firestorms quarters again. He was defininatly there, seeing as he didn't have a shift until later in the day. Finally, he got a response.

"Firestorm here... What is it Skarts?" Firestorms tired face appeared on the screen. Skartplug sighed "Its about time! I need you in medbay theres someone here I think you might want to see"

"Who is it? Airstrike hasn't sliced his wings off again has he?"

Skartplug chuckled "No no nothing like that. We have a new recruit"

"I'll be right down Skarts..." Firestorm cut the line. Skartplug re-entered the medbay, only to find the berth Syndrome was on completely empty. Frantic, he searched around but couldn't find him anywhere.

"Syndrome? Come on dude where are you?"

Silence.

The door hissed open, Firestorm walking into the room. Skartplug cursed himself quietly.

"So wheres this 'new recruit' Skarts?" Firestorm looked around, finding no one. Skartplug sighed "He's hiding"

"He got a name?"

Skartplug nodded then kept quiet. Firestorm raised an optic ridge "Well? What is it?"

"Syndrome"

Firestorm's optics nearly left their sockets hearing that name "What?!" He looked round the room "Syndrome?"

"The very same..."

"Why is he hiding?"

"Probably afraid..."

Firestorm nodded, scanning the room. He picked up on the mechs unique energy signature and slowly moved towards it. Skartplug kept still, watching as Firestorm grabbed at nothing "Gotcha!"

There was a scream "Lemme go! I swear I won't do it again just don't hurt me!"

Firestorm laughed "Yep! Same old Syndrome!"

There was a pause, then "...F...Firestorm?"

"Its me Drome..." Syndrome revieled himself, looking up at the mech. He smiled widely, tracing a hand over his shoulder as if checking if he was real or not. Firestorm smiled. "Its been a long time..."

"Too long..." Syndrome sniffed, a tear running down his cheek. Skartplug coughed "You can have your little reunion once I've finished those repairs!"

"O-oh... right" Syndrome stood, collapsing to one side and into Firestorm. Storm laughed, helping him to the berth as they chatted about old times.

Later that night, Syndrome bunked in Firestorms room seeing as he hadn't been designated his quarters yet. Both mechs talked and laughed till the early hours of the morning, finally calling it a night. Just as Firestorm was settling down, he heard a small voice.

"Storm?"

He twisted on his berth "Hmm?"

"I missed you..."

Firestorm smiled "And I missed you... Oh and Drome?"

"Yeah?"

"Welcome to The Freelancers."


End file.
